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News and notes from around the Thoroughbred racing world, compiled
by NTRA Communications, (212) 907-9280.

NTRA WAGERING TECHNOLOGY WORKING GROUP RELEASES INTERIM REPORT

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association's Wagering Technology Working Group, in conjunction with its security consulting firm, Giuliani Partners, released today an interim report on steps the horseracing industry has taken to enhance wagering system security and related measures since last October's Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships.

support for these various initiatives by the Wagering Integrity Alliance; and,

other related issues.

"While today's update is an interim report only, work is underway in each of the main areas identified by the working group late last year," said Tim Smith, NTRA Commissioner. "The industry remains fully committed to ensuring the integrity of its wagering technology and security systems."

"Significant steps have been taken and we have identified additional measures that will enhance overall security and improve standards," said Rudolph Giuliani.

In addition to periodic reports, the Wagering Technology Working Group and Giuliani Partners plan to issue a concluding report with findings and recommendations later this year.

KENTUCKY DERBY FUTURE WAGER NOW UNDERWAY, RUNS THROUGH SUNDAY

Churchill Downs opens the first of three pools in its 2003 Kentucky Derby Future Wager (KDFW) today and the morning line odds established by Mike Battaglia point to the mutuel field as a strong favorite the 129th "Run for the Roses" rather than any individual horse.

Battaglia has installed the field, which includes all
3-year-old Thoroughbreds other than the 23 individual horses listed as
wagering interests, as a strong 2-1 favorite for the four-day Future
Wager pool. John Oxley's unbeaten Sky Mesa, the winner of last year's
Hopeful (Grade I) and Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (GII) who has yet
to race this year, is next in line at 8-1. The Thoroughbred Corp's
Kafwain, the Bob Baffert-trained winner of the recent San Vicente
(Grade II) and runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (GI), and
Daniel Borislow's Champagne (GI) and Hollywood Futurity (GI) winner
Toccet are co-third choices in the morning line at 10-1.

"The Kentucky Derby picture at this time of the year is as cloudy as it has been in the five years of the Future Wager's existence," said
Battaglia. "Derby fans have strongly backed the mutuel field in Pool
1 in each of the last four years and I believe that the defection of
Vindication and some questions surrounding other horses that would be
considered major contenders will send them toward the mutuel field in
even greater numbers. That will mean there will be some very
attractive prices on promising individual horses in this pool, but
those horses have a lot to prove between now and Kentucky Derby Day."

Pool 1 of the 2003 Kentucky Derby Future Wager opened at noon (all
times Eastern) today and continues through Sunday, Feb. 16 at 6:30 p.m. KDFW Pool 2 is scheduled for March 13-16 and the third and final Kentucky Derby futures pool is set for April 3-6. A new Kentucky Oaks Future Wager (KOFW), also a four-day pool, will be offered for the first time concurrent with April's KDFW Pool 3.

The Kentucky Derby Future Wager, which is beginning its fifth year, allows racing fans to place wagers on contenders for the Kentucky
Derby weeks in advance of the race at odds that may be more attractive
than those they would receive on Derby Day. The Kentucky Derby Future
Wager is a $2 minimum wager and is a win bet only. There are no refunds.
More information on the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks and their
respective future wagers may be obtained on the World Wide Web at
www.kentuckyderby.com. Real time odds on the Future Wager will be
available on the Kentucky Derby Website during each of the three KDFW
pools and the single KOFW pool.

Equibase Company LLC today announced the 2003 launch of the Virtual Stable Triple Crown notification service, which notifies users via a once-daily e-mail of workouts, entries and results for the top contenders for the VISA* Triple Crown. The service is available at no charge through www.ntra.com and www.equibase.com.

The Virtual Stable Triple Crown notification service was unveiled last year, as was a similar service for the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships. More than 25,000 fans used Virtual StableTM to track the daily progress of the leading contenders for both events.

Included in the Triple Crown notifications is a list of upcoming televised races and links to additional information such as entries, charts and past performance programs as well as editorial content from the web sites of the host tracks of the Triple Crown races.

"The positive response we received to the Triple Crown notification service in its first year was overwhelming, and we are pleased to once again be able to raise awareness of our sport's premier events by providing both new and longtime fans with an easy way to familiarize themselves with and follow the top contenders for this year's Classic races," said Rhonda Norby, marketing and communications manager for Equibase.

The initial group of contenders is comprised of the 23 horses in the Kentucky Derby Future Wager, the first pool for which opens today and closes on Sunday. The list of contenders will be adjusted periodically to reflect the emergence of new hopefuls.

The Virtual Stable Triple Crown notification service was developed in conjunction with the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Churchill Downs, Maryland Jockey Club and the New York Racing Association. Triple Crown notifications will conclude with the Belmont Stakes on June 7. Virtual Stable Breeders' Cup notifications will commence shortly thereafter.

FANS CAN MANAGE THEIR FANTASY STABLE TO DERBY GLORY AND RICHES

Ever dream of coaching a top 3-year-old racehorse to victory on the first Saturday in May? You can in the 2003 Kentucky Derby "Road to the Roses" Fantasy Challenge - a free, Internet-based game of skill that offers a VIP trip to the 2004 Kentucky Derby and Oaks, plus prizes, wagering vouchers and exclusive merchandise worth thousands of dollars.

The Kentucky Derby Fantasy Challenge, now in its sixth year, is an online rotisserie-style game that allows race fans to draft a fantasy stable of Kentucky Derby hopefuls, along with accomplished jockeys and trainers, and enjoy the thrill of managing equine athletes and their connections through a series of officially sanctioned Kentucky Derby prep races. The game begins with the Grade I Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 15 and concludes with the 129th running of the Kentucky Derby (GI) at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May 3, 2003.

Registration for the 2003 Kentucky Derby Fantasy Challenge, which can be found online at www.roadtotheroses.com, opened Feb. 3 at 12:01 a.m. EST and will continue through April 4, 2003, at 11:59 p.m. The online game is owned and operated by Churchill Downs Incorporated ("CDI").

"Churchill Downs Incorporated is thrilled to again offer this challenging, interactive game to race fans hungry for action in the weeks leading up to the 129th Kentucky Derby," said Stephen L. Fugitte, CDI's vice president of racing information and new media. "The Fantasy Challenge continues to evolve and attract new players. More than 23,000 individuals played last year's game, and based on the number of early sign-ups, we expect to set a new record for participation this year.

HAWTHORNE RACE COURSE, EVANGELINE DOWNS, CARF, NYCOTB JOIN NTRA

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) announced today that Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney/Cicero, Ill, Evangeline Downs in Lafayette, La., the California Authority of Racing Fairs (CARF) and the New York City Off Track Betting Corporation (NYCOTB) have joined the NTRA retroactive to January 1, 2003.

Racing associations included in CARF are: San Mateo County Fair (San Mateo), The Big Fresno Fair (Fresno), San Joaquin County Fair (Stockton), Solano County Fair (Vallejo), California State Fair (Sacramento), Humboldt County Fair (Ferndale) and Sonoma County Fair (Santa Rosa).

“Now more than ever, increased participation has an extremely positive impact on our programs, our industry and the fans,” said NTRA Commissioner Tim Smith. “We’re happy to have Hawthorne Race Course, Evangeline Downs, CARF and New York City OTB as members, and we look forward to working with each of them in 2003 and thereafter.”

DOSER JOINS THE CLUB

Jockey Mary Doser joined an elite list of female riders on February 8 when she collected her 1000th career victory aboard October Optimistin the eighth race at Turfway Park. Doser is believed to be just the 14th female Thoroughbred jockey to reach this milestone.

“You don’t ever think you’ll get there,” said Doser. “This is really great. Things have just been falling into place lately. It would have been nice to have won it the other night with (husband/trainer) Scott (Sowle), but I love Chris. I used to baby sit for him.”

Doser began her career in 1986 and was leading apprentice rider at Ellis Park that year. Her first victory came aboard Donda’s Future at River Downs in 1986.

Feb. 14, 1966: Buckpasser suffered the only defeat of his three-year-old season when he finished second in a non-betting race, the Black Caesar Purse, at Hialeah. He went on to post 13 consecutive victories in 1966 (12 of them in stakes races), but was unable to compete in any of the Triple Crown races because of a hoof injury.

Feb. 14, 1990: Ladbroke at Golden Gate Fields inaugurated co-pooling of its wagers with those of a sister organization, Ladbroke Racing Wyoming. The co-pooling of wagers across state lines, made possible by California legislation that had gone into effect Jan. 1, was a first in U.S. racing.

Feb. 16, 1891: At the urging of Pierre Lorillard, the Board of Control, composed of seven representatives of the racing industry, was formed to govern Thoroughbred racing. The Board’s powers extended to matters of licensing; allotment of racing dates; and the regulation of purse payments. The Board, as the governing body for racing, was succeeded by The Jockey Club, formed in 1894.

Feb. 16, 1999: Jockey Julie Krone became the first female jockey to win 3,500 races, taking the third race at the Fair Grounds.

Feb. 24, 1947: Acting upon an earlier recommendation by The Jockey Club stewards, the Thoroughbred Racing Associations unanimously approved lip tattoos as a method of identifying Thoroughbred racehorses.

Feb. 25, 1990: The 11th race at Charles Town was declared a no-contest because the starting gate could not be removed from the track after the race had begun. The track announcer warned the jockeys to pull up their mounts, and the track subsequently refunded all wagers on the race.

Feb. 25, 1998: The purse of the Breeders’ Cup Distaff was increased from $1 million to $2 million, effective with that year’s Breeders’ Cup Championship at Churchill Downs.

Feb. 26, 1973: With Secretariat having been named Horse of the Year for 1972 and champion two-year-old, it was announced by Claiborne Farm that the colt had been syndicated for a then-record $6,080,000—equivalent to 32 shares at $190,000 each.